Actor Zachary Quinto is currently appearing worldwide in Star Trek: Into Darkness. He also appears in a lesser known short film called Dog Eat Dog, which is based on his search for an adopted dog in Los Angeles.
Says Quinto, “The story of the film is an exaggerated account of how I eventually found my rescue dog Noah, but it still reflects a bit of the reality I faced when I was looking to adopt a shelter dog.”
Sit back for the next 13 minutes and enjoy the film!
Posted in dog adoption
Tagged dog adoption, Dog Eat Dog, Los Angeles, Rizzo, shelter dog, short film, star trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, Zachary Quinto
One of the great things about visiting and working at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the range of dogs available for sleepovers. Since I am on my final night of sleepovers, it is time to pay tribute to all four of my sleepover dogs…
Timothy, a one-year old American Stafordshire Terrier. Beautiful boy with good manners. I’m sorry we fed you so many treats in training class that we caused your diarrhea! Timothy’s underbite makes this wee boy adorable.
Chester, a Boxer cross (I think Boxer/Mastiff cross because of his wrinkles and large head size), age 7. Chester is very bright and we practiced ‘sit’ during his stay. A snuggly boy who snores, I took Chester because he hadn’t been on a sleepover or outing for almost 2 months.
Madison, a young pit mix. A fairly new arrival at Best Friends, she’s not even on the website yet. Really intelligent, and happily slept the night through. Only drawback – she’s a covers hog who enjoys the middle of the bed.
Clover, another fairly new arrival from Texas and her photo isn’t on the website yet. A cattle dog mix, this young girl has good manners on leash and loves to disembowel toys. A rubber chicken and a small squeaky sheep were victims during our evening together. She also adores tummy rubs.
These dogs and many others can be viewed through the Best Friends website and so if you are thinking about adoption, this website is well worth a look.
Posted in animal welfare, dog adoption
Tagged adoption, Best Friends, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, bull terrier, cattle dog, Chester, Clover, dog adoption, Madison, Pit Bull, sleepover, Timothy
A common challenge in the adoption business is finding homes for black dogs. For many years, shelter workers worldwide have reported that black dogs (and cats) are less likely to be adopted than others and more likely to be euthanized.
It’s a case of judging a book by its cover – or is it?
In films, if there is an evil or menacing guard dog, it’s usually black or dark coloured (e.g. Rottweiler, Doberman). Black cats are notoriously associated with the devil or witches, as well.
However, research published in early 2012 suggested that the issue isn’t colour – it’s breed. And no one appears to be gathering statistics on the adoption of black dogs vs other dogs. Plus there’s the fact that the Labrador (including black Labs) is routinely the top of the list when it comes to popular breeds. This means that someone isn’t afraid of black dogs!
Practically speaking, however, it is usually more difficult to photograph a black dog. Many shelters find that they can’t do a black dog justice in the photos that are mounted on the internet on shelter web pages and Facebook sites. Rescue organisations are encouraged to place additional overhead lighting in the kennels of black dogs to make them more appealing to visitors. Another suggestion is to take a black dog for a run or brisk walk before photographing him/her – thus photographing them when they are panting which is more likely to look like a smile in their photograph.
Patricia McConnell has commented on Black Dog Syndrome (fact or fiction) on her website.
Meanwhile, rescue organisations often hold special events for the adoption of black-coated animals. These are photos I took last year at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary during their May appeal – Back in Black… The adoption fee was waived for all black animals during the month. Very creative!
Do you think Black Dog Syndrome is real? What does your rescue organisation do to support the adoption of black dogs?
Here are Thelma and Louise. These boxers were found roaming the streets of Los Angeles and were lucky enough to find their way to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, where I met them in the Old Friends kennel section of the sanctuary.
Both Thelma and Louise were older dogs and that unfortunately means for many dogs that they are not chosen for adoption from traditional shelter environments. However, Best Friends recognised that there are ‘boxer people’ all over and that – with a little time – they could find a home together with people who would be willing to take on the special medical needs of two senior dogs.
And that’s just what they did. Thelma and Louise went to their forever homes on June 16th this year!
Posted in dog adoption, Dogs
Tagged Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, boxers, Louise, Thelma
I’ve just finished watching the HBO documentary One Nation Under Dog. I hope many of you were able to see it and, if not, to catch it when it repeats.
This documentary is segregated into three themes: Fear, Loss and Betrayal. Fear covers the experience of some people caught up in legal fights over dangerous dogs and the fate of vicious dogs (euthanasia); Loss shows owners who tell their stories of grief over the loss of their beloved dogs; Betrayal shows the ugly side of the homeless dogs problems in the United States. Be prepared for actual footage of a gas chamber and meet people who are involved in dog rescue including liberating dogs from a Tennessee puppy mill.
Highly recommended, here are a couple of clips from the documentary thanks to YouTube:
Posted in dog adoption, Dogs
Tagged dangerous dogs, documentary, euthanasia, gas chamber, HBO, One Nation Under Dog, puppy mills, rescue, vicious, YouTube
A Pit Bull named Little Red is proving to many folks that Pit Bulls are lovable creatures deserving of a good home. I’m proud to say that I’m one of Little Red’s 2,765 Facebook friends (and she’ll probably have more by the time you read this).
Little Red was rescued from Michael Vick’s Bad Newz kennels. From there, she traveled to Kanab, Utah to the Best Friends Pet Sanctuary for rehabilitation. Known as ‘Vicktory Dogs,’ all of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick’s properties were segregated from all non-staff at the Sanctuary under court order.
It took years to see Little Red come back to a state where she could be adopted. Her adoptive owner, Susan, never gave up hope about Little Red after seeing a photo of her shortly after her rescue. Susan sponsored Little Red and kept in touch about her progress. By February 2011, Susan was able to go to the Sanctuary to visit with Little Red. In September 2011, she was cleared to be Little Red’s foster mother.
This is their story:
There are still those who believe in breed-specific legislation and it is dogs like Little Red that prove that these rushes to judgement are unnecessary and unwarranted.
Thank heavens for the good people at Best Friends who took in so many Vicktory Dogs and worked with them on the long journey to rehabilitation.
Source: Best Friends Sanctuary Stories
Posted in dog adoption, dog breeds
Tagged Best Friends Pet Sanctuary, Facebook, Kanab, Little Red, Michael Vick, Pit Bull, rehabilitation, Utah
Daniel looks like an ordinary beagle. But he isn’t. He’s a survivor – quite literally.
In October 2011, Daniel was placed in a gas chamber in Alabama to die with three other unwanted/unclaimed dogs. The miracle is that Daniel survived the gassing (by carbon monoxide). The folks at Eleventh Hour Rescue, a rescue organisation that aims to save dogs from high-kill shelters, heard about Daniel and took him to New Jersey to find a forever home.
After fostering, Daniel was re-homed with Joe and Geralynn Dwyer. Mr Dwyer now is a guest speaker around the country to encourage the banning of gas chambers in the United States and Mr Dwyer is happy to promote Daniel as the face of the anti-gassing law. The law has been called “Daniel’s Law” in honor of Daniel. Pennsylvania is the most recent state to enact it.
Only 19 states in the USA have banned the use of gassing as a means of euthanising unwanted dogs and over 4 million animals are euthanised each year in the country.
Here are a couple of video clips of Daniel’s story, starting with his original fostering arrangement:
And on Anderson Cooper:
The Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in the UK has issued an urgent appeal for bedding and jumpers to keep its residents warm this winter.
One puppy grateful for her new jumper is Cilla, the three month old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, who was found abandoned in a box in a park . Photo courtesy of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
The dogs are also being wrapped up in hand knitted sweaters (jumpers) crafted by supporters.
Claire Porteous, Operations Manager at Battersea explains “Here at Battersea our staff and volunteers are doing everything we can to keep our dogs and cats warm as the temperatures drop. We’ll be using thick bedding, knitted blankets and coats to keep the dogs and cats snug, but we are always incredibly grateful for donations of bedding and dog coats at this time of year.”
The Home would be grateful for dog or fleece blankets, warm bedding or fleece dog coats.
Anyone wishing to donate can bring their items to one of Battersea’s three sites in London, Old Windsor or Brands Hatch, or post them to:
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
4 Battersea Park Road
London
SW8 4AA
Want to knit for the dogs but don’t know where to start? Try the Big List of Free Dog Knitting Patterns.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand |
October is Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog month in the USA. There are lots of great dogs in shelters all over the world. I have always felt that you don’t choose a dog, a dog chooses you.
But, in a new twist on shelters helping to match dogs and their owners, check out this cute video showing how Harvey markets himself to prospective adopters.
Posted in dog adoption
Tagged Adopt a Shelter dog month, Harvey, October, video, You Tube
Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, adopted a Jack Russell from the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home earlier this week.
According to the media statement released by Battersea, the puppy is named Beth and she is a tri-colour Jack Russell Terrier who is 3 months old. She was one of more than 100 stray dogs that the Home took in during the month of July.
Beth, the latest edition to The Royal Family (photo courtesy of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home)
The Duchess is familiar with the breed; she owned a much-loved Jack Russell named Freddy.
DoggyMom.com 